Name calling
by SnapesYukuai
Summary: Minerva is adamant to raise her Grandchildren to become decent people, so how does she react when her grandson uses a most unsual curseword that has to do with his godfather Severus? Read and find out!


**Disclaimer:** Not mine… what a pity. **: )**

**Comment****:**

Well, I must say that this story is quite different from what I write normally, in regard to some of the main characters anyway. On the advice of my sister I'll give you a little explanation on the relations in this ff:

It happens after the war, Minerva and Albus are married and have a daughter named Athena. She has three children, Jonah and the twins.

Now enough of that, have fun reading and PLEASE, give me a little review.

**Name calling:**

Minerva set the table for six. Severus had come over to talk to Albus and Athena had brought over the twins and Jonah. Just as she put down scones and jam for tea, the twins stormed into the kitchen. Seeing their grandmother's stern gaze however they slowed down abruptly and approached her at a more sedate pace.

The two brunette girls tugged at her long robes, looking at her with big eyes.

"Granny, Granny, Jonah has said bad names again!"

Minerva sighed before taking the enquiring little hands in hers and gently prying them from the fabric of her skirt.

"Well girls, go up to Grandpa Albus' study and play with him and Uncle Severus while I talk to your cousin." With an enthusiasm only small children had, the two smiled at her and stormed out of the room their worries from moments ago seemingly forgotten. The Scotswoman waited patiently until she heard them knocking on the door upstairs. She wanted to have a little privacy while talking to her grandson.

"Jonah, young man, would you be kind enough to come out from behind that door?" A few seconds passed in silence before a boy of approximately seven years shuffled into the room, looking at his grandmother from under the fringe of his sandy brown hair. The old witch could tell by his posture alone that he felt guilty.

"Well, I'm most eager to hear what you said to the twins."

"I didn't call them names like they said." He pouted slightly but her experience told her that that wasn't all. Putting her hands to her hips she enquired further.

"And why, pray tell, do they tell me that you called someone names, hmm?" The dark pearl eyes held his gaze unwaveringly making him more than a little apprehensive. If his Granny smelled mischief anywhere she shouldn't be messed with. The little boy tapped from foot to foot in a nervous gesture before speaking up nearly inaudible:

"I called Voldemort names."

_Well__, __**that**__ was unusual._

He heard more than he saw the deep sigh and looked down instinctively until he felt a finger lifting his chin.

"Sit down, Jonah, come on." His Granny's voice was stern but friendly as she pushed him towards a chair by the table before taking a seat herself and quietly asking for an explanation.

"Jonah, what do you mean by _calling Voldemort names_? What did you say and why should anyone chastise you for insulting that..._ man_?"

Although they were adamant with the rule that no child in their household should be allowed to use curse words, Voldemort was some kind of unspoken exception.

"I... I called him _dark Lord_." The seven year old worried his lips as he heard her sharp intake of breath. He knew Granny would be angry... or at least disappointed which was thousand times worse and it made his tummy churn uncomfortably.

"Why would you do that?" Her voice sounded completely serious now and had a quietness to it that made him swallow hard. He didn't want to trouble his Granny!

The small hands wandered to the hem of his shirt seemingly on their own accord as he looked up into his Granny's eyes slowly. Minerva could see the child's trouble and knew that she needn't fear for him so she sighed again. She had her suspicions already where her grandson had picked up _that _phrase.

It seemed however that Jonah didn't know she wasn't really angry with him because now he jumped up from his chair ran to her and sputtered with tears in his eyes:

"I didn't mean to make anyone mad. I know Voldemort was a bad man but... I heard Uncle Severus say it and didn't think it would be bad... I mean... he called him that as well after all..." He stopped, sniffing quietly.

"Oh child, I know that you didn't mean harm. Hush now, my boy." With those words she pulled the little boy towards her and laid one hand on the wet chubby cheek, rubbing away the freely flowing tears while stroking through the soft locks with the other. She waited patiently for him to calm down before addressing him again.

"Well Jonah, your godfather has his own reasons for calling Voldemort the dark Lord but that doesn't make it right. Can you tell me why it might be inappropriate to call him what you did?" Jonah thought it over but couldn't come up with a reason that made sense to his young mind. Slowly he shook his head.

"Hmm, so tell me, who would you normally call a lord?" She locked eyes with him, holding his gaze.

"Umm, a noble or someone like that." He replied thoughtfully the expressive blue eyes asking a silent question.

"Yes, you're right. Such a title is an expression of honour and respect. By calling Voldemort by that title you give him respect which he does not deserve. It is like giving him a position of importance despite his atrocious actions. Do you understand what I mean?" For a while it was quiet in the kitchen then Jonah nodded.

"Yeah... I mean, yes. It would be like I got a cookie for doing something bad, right Grandma?" The blue eyes looked up at her enquiringly.

A small smile turned the corners of her mouth upwards. "Yes, you could say it like that." One last time she ruffled his hair before rising from her seat and walking to the workspace to make tea closing the topic with that. A tugging on her robes however let her turn around. It was Jonah again:

"Grandma, I won't call Voldemort that name again, okay?" Now the elderly witch smiled gently.

"I know you won't and I am most pleased to hear that."

Before either of them could say something else they heard footsteps and voices on the corridor as the others chose that moment to come down to the kitchen.

Severus eyed his godson questioningly when he saw the remains of tears on his face but let it pass after an intense gaze from Minerva. Jonah looked up at him trustingly as he patted the little boy's shoulder inconspicuously. He had a reputation to uphold after all but wanted to reassure his godson although not knowing what had happened. While the kids (and Albus for that matter) munched on their scones happily his older college leant forward and said so quiet that only Snape could hear:

"Severus, I think we should have a little talk later about certain habits of yours regarding what you call whom." He raised an eyebrow at that vague declaration but didn't ask further questions. To be frank – if only to himself – the tone in which she had spoken made even the feared Potions master wary of what was to come.

"Severus, do you know that Jonah used an inappropriate phrase today that he heard from none other than _you_?" Remaining silent the Slytherin crossed his arms and leant against the mantle of the fireplace waiting for the Scotswoman to elaborate**...**

which she annoyingly didn't.

As it was, her quietness was unsettling him although he wouldn't admit it even to himself.

_What had Jonah heard? And more importantly, what could he have heard that would be fitting for someone in this household and what had __made him say __**it **__at all. He knew from experience and not a small part of his own influence on the boy that he was usually well behaved._

"I see that I got you at least thinking about it, well, I guess that could be called a start." He heard her disapproval clearly in her sarcastic words. His eyes narrowed in annoyance but also in well hidden worry. _Jonah had cried. So much he had observed. Could it be that he had insulted someone seriously enough to warrant a more severe punishment from Minerva?_

Although he burrowed it in deep within himself, he could feel the guilt creeping up in him on the mere prospect of having been a bad role model for his beloved godson.

"Well, woman, spit it out! What _did_ he hear?" No one said he had to show that he felt guilty.

At his tone Minerva's frown deepened considerable. She took a step forward making the Potions master aware of just how intimidating the elderly witch still could be.

"Well, I'll tell you what my grandson said: He called Voldemort – and don't you dare flinching at that – the dark Lord!" At that Severus paled considerably. Minerva though being relieved to see his reaction ploughed on ruthlessly. This was as much about taking care that her grandchildren didn't get into the habit of calling that murderer _lord_ as freeing Severus from the chains of the past that still pained him so much.

"Can you even imagine what would have happened, if he used that phrase in front of others? Can you imagine how they would have reacted knowing that _you_ are his godfather? You know as well as I that there were more than enough people who were against your appointment to be his godfather but Albus and I supported Athena's decision wholeheartedly...!"

"Minerva!"

His voice interrupted her tirade quite effectively. It wasn't so much the fact that he literally had overridden her words but how hoarse his voice had sounded. Only now she really looked at him. The proud man was pale, paler than she had seen him in a long time. But so much more expressive were his coal black eyes. They were shining with an intense fire that told her loads about the battle going on within him.

"Minerva...." Although Severus had composed himself as quickly as only he was able to she could hear the regret in his deep silky voice.

"I did not intent to set such a poor example for my godson nor do I want him to get in trouble simply because I cannot surpass old habits. I will talk to him immediately." The dour Slytherin turned on his heel to leave the room only to be halted by a hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn around internally afraid she would tell him she regretted supporting him as Jonah's godfather.

"Severus Snape, look at me." She said quietly. It took a great force of will to comply with the command.

"I know that your past and everything that goes with it can cause great trouble but I want you to know that it isn't your past but your present actions that define what a man you are. So Merlin help me, if you ever again utter curse words that the children pick up and go housing around with I'll wash out your mouth with soap, even if I have to drag you to a sink in front of the whole great hall. Well, now feel chastised appropriately; go back into the kitchen to keep Albus and the children busy and then have a quiet talk with Jonah later." Although her words were stern, there weren't any he would have wanted to hear instead.

"Your wish is my command, Ma'am", he replied sarcastically and strode back to the others with his robes billowing behind him. Minerva shook her head mildly while watching her boy's retreat. It was weird. As austere as the Slytherin could be, sometimes it was like he simply was one of her unruly grandchildren – meaning no harm and yet unwittingly causing trouble anyway.

Well, boys would always be boys so she should go back into the kitchen as well before said boys and the girls for that matter turned everything upside down.

FINIS.


End file.
